Tharasmund's father-in-law, Athanaric, king of the West Goths, persecutes Christians because he sees them as agents of the Empire, an unjust and counterproductive policy. Instead, he should:
treat Christians and pagans with full equality;
show Christians that they can be as happy outside the Empire as inside it and indeed might even prefer life outside it;
include one or more representatives of Christian communities among his advisors;
encourage sharing of cultures and festivals.
Some Christian clergy dislike that fourth policy but it can be done. Muslim neighbours bring us food at Eid. Everyone who visits a Sikh Gurdwara or a Krishna Temple is fed. We are enriched by diversity.
Of course, early Christianity was militantly exclusionist.
ReplyDeleteKaor, Mr. Stirling!
ReplyDeleteA better word would be "universalist," that being the belief and duty of the Catholic Church to proclaim the Gospel to all nations.
I was surprised to find out even Tibet has a Catholic community and hence oppressed by the Maoists for being both Christians and Tibetans.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean: I'm a 'live and let live' type myself.
ReplyDeleteNote that the Romans, say, didn't have the concept of "a religion". They had words for 'religion-in-general', rites and sacrifices, and they identified foreign gods with theirs if they resembled each other, but they had no concept of -a- religion.
ReplyDeleteKaor, Mr. Stirling!
ReplyDeleteOf course, and I believe having a "live and let live" attitude does not mean being a milquetoast about one's beliefs. Only that evangelizing should be peaceful.
The fierce, uncompromising monotheism of the Jews and the evangelizing zeal of the Christians was a shock to pagan Romans.
Ad astra! Sean
I don't think it would have gotten far without the 3rd-century crisis, when Rome's Empire nearly went under.
ReplyDeleteKaor, Mr. Stirling!
ReplyDeleteI am not entirely sure of that. I do agree the chaos of the Third Century Crisis of the Empire encouraged conversions to Christianity--meaning any averting of that crisis might well have slowed the growth of Christianity. But, as Psalm 89/90.4 says: "For a thousand years in thy sight are as yesterday which has passed, and as a watch in the night." Meaning God's time is not man's time. Christianity would still increase because I believe that is the will of God.
Ad astra! Sean